WORLD REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY
PRACTICE EXAM (TCU SCHWARTZ)
QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS
Legacies of Colonialism - ANSWER-- Language and Religion: many of the countries
that were colonized by Spain/Portugal now speak either Spanish or Portuguese and
practice catholicism as their main religion due to the encomienda systems that were
put in place
- Architecture and large Public Spaces
- Economic inequality: colonialism entrenched economic inequality in many central
and south American countries, and it still lasts today
Syncretic religions - ANSWER-combination of religion; often borrow from the past
and the present.
Ex. Vodou. Originally a Haitian religion that is practiced along with other religions
export dependency - ANSWER-condition of relying on exports of raw resources as
basis of a nation's economy
Venezuela exports are 96% crude oil
import substitution - ANSWER-a government policy that uses trade restrictions and
subsidies to encourage domestic production of manufactured goods (substituting
imported goods for locally made goods)
Structural Adjustment Programs (to address debt crisis) - ANSWER-Economic
policies imposed on less developed countries by international agencies to create
conditions encouraging international trade, such as raising taxes, reducing
government spending, controlling inflation, selling publicly owned utilities to private
corporations, and charging citizens more for services.
NAFTA - ANSWER-- Created to facilitate trade between the U.S., Canada, and
Mexico with the goal to help all three of the countries economies
- In the first decade of NAFTA, millions of Mexican corn farmers were put out of
business due to NAFTA policies, but American corn farmers thrived in contrast
Economic Structure of Latin America Countries - ANSWER-Many countries in latin
america have jobs in service (tourism) and agriculture sectors
Maquiladoras - ANSWER-A factory in Mexico run by a foreign company and
exporting its products to the country of that company.
Pros of Maquiladoras (NAFTA) - ANSWER--Increased local job availability
, Cons of Maquiladoras (NAFTA) - ANSWER--Increased ease of foreign exporting can
cause local economies to collapse
NTAEs - ANSWER-Non-Traditional Agricultural Exports
-There's more profit to be made in these as opposed to traditional agricultural
exports
Ex. Colombian Roses
BRICS - ANSWER-Brazil
Russia
India
China
South Africa
Importance of Economic Services - ANSWER-Central American Countries rely
heavily on their services industries more than Agriculture and Industry
-Tourism and Travel account for the biggest % of GNI
Informal Economies - ANSWER-Honduras and Guatemala have the highest informal
employment rate at above 72%
Remittances - ANSWER-Money migrants send back to family and friends in their
home countries, often in cash, forming an important part of the economy in many
poorer countries
-Mexico has the highest remittances but LA/Caribbean has the highest % increase in
2016
Gini Coefficient - ANSWER-A measure of income inequality within a population,
ranging from zero for complete equality, to 1 if one person has all the income
Liberation Theology - ANSWER-a movement within the Catholic church to
understand Christianity from the perspective of the poor and oppressed, with a focus
on fighting injustice
Rain Forrest ecosystem services - ANSWER-carbon storage, oxygen production,
prevent soil erosion
Deforestation - ANSWER-most of the deforestation is occurring in this area because
people are developing new cattle ranches and for small-scale agriculture
biodivserity in rainforests - ANSWER-between 1999 and 2009, more than 1200 new
species of plants and animals were discovered in the Amazon
ex. Ranitomeya Amazonica
Ecotourism - ANSWER-the practice and business of recreational travel based on
concern for the environment
PRACTICE EXAM (TCU SCHWARTZ)
QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS
Legacies of Colonialism - ANSWER-- Language and Religion: many of the countries
that were colonized by Spain/Portugal now speak either Spanish or Portuguese and
practice catholicism as their main religion due to the encomienda systems that were
put in place
- Architecture and large Public Spaces
- Economic inequality: colonialism entrenched economic inequality in many central
and south American countries, and it still lasts today
Syncretic religions - ANSWER-combination of religion; often borrow from the past
and the present.
Ex. Vodou. Originally a Haitian religion that is practiced along with other religions
export dependency - ANSWER-condition of relying on exports of raw resources as
basis of a nation's economy
Venezuela exports are 96% crude oil
import substitution - ANSWER-a government policy that uses trade restrictions and
subsidies to encourage domestic production of manufactured goods (substituting
imported goods for locally made goods)
Structural Adjustment Programs (to address debt crisis) - ANSWER-Economic
policies imposed on less developed countries by international agencies to create
conditions encouraging international trade, such as raising taxes, reducing
government spending, controlling inflation, selling publicly owned utilities to private
corporations, and charging citizens more for services.
NAFTA - ANSWER-- Created to facilitate trade between the U.S., Canada, and
Mexico with the goal to help all three of the countries economies
- In the first decade of NAFTA, millions of Mexican corn farmers were put out of
business due to NAFTA policies, but American corn farmers thrived in contrast
Economic Structure of Latin America Countries - ANSWER-Many countries in latin
america have jobs in service (tourism) and agriculture sectors
Maquiladoras - ANSWER-A factory in Mexico run by a foreign company and
exporting its products to the country of that company.
Pros of Maquiladoras (NAFTA) - ANSWER--Increased local job availability
, Cons of Maquiladoras (NAFTA) - ANSWER--Increased ease of foreign exporting can
cause local economies to collapse
NTAEs - ANSWER-Non-Traditional Agricultural Exports
-There's more profit to be made in these as opposed to traditional agricultural
exports
Ex. Colombian Roses
BRICS - ANSWER-Brazil
Russia
India
China
South Africa
Importance of Economic Services - ANSWER-Central American Countries rely
heavily on their services industries more than Agriculture and Industry
-Tourism and Travel account for the biggest % of GNI
Informal Economies - ANSWER-Honduras and Guatemala have the highest informal
employment rate at above 72%
Remittances - ANSWER-Money migrants send back to family and friends in their
home countries, often in cash, forming an important part of the economy in many
poorer countries
-Mexico has the highest remittances but LA/Caribbean has the highest % increase in
2016
Gini Coefficient - ANSWER-A measure of income inequality within a population,
ranging from zero for complete equality, to 1 if one person has all the income
Liberation Theology - ANSWER-a movement within the Catholic church to
understand Christianity from the perspective of the poor and oppressed, with a focus
on fighting injustice
Rain Forrest ecosystem services - ANSWER-carbon storage, oxygen production,
prevent soil erosion
Deforestation - ANSWER-most of the deforestation is occurring in this area because
people are developing new cattle ranches and for small-scale agriculture
biodivserity in rainforests - ANSWER-between 1999 and 2009, more than 1200 new
species of plants and animals were discovered in the Amazon
ex. Ranitomeya Amazonica
Ecotourism - ANSWER-the practice and business of recreational travel based on
concern for the environment
